Area wrestlers hoping to leave their mark at state

Milton's Nolan Shea won his championship match against Aaron Daly at 106 pounds, 11-4, in 2013. Shea is the only returning state champion from the area for 2014.

State rankings are nothing more than bragging rights during the regular season.

Come tournament time, they mean nothing.

The 71st annual WIAA individual state wrestling tournament begins today, and whether a wrestler comes in with one loss or 13 losses, where they are ranked is irrelevant. Where they finish is all that matters.

Division 1 preliminary matches begin at 3 p.m. today, followed by the quarterfinals at approximately 5:15 p.m. The Division 2 and 3 preliminary matches are scheduled to begin at approximately 7:15 p.m.

There are 19 former champions in the tournament field this year, and 17 seeking to defend the title they won last year.

“Kids know what kind of a record everybody has and who is ranked where,” Brodhead/Juda coach Tim Colden said. “But let's face it, once you get to state, everybody is 0-0. You can throw out records.

“Your state champions are going to be the kids that wrestle the best for those two or three days. It doesn't really matter what they did before state.”

Brodhead/Juda has three state qualifiers, led by sectional champions Gavin Baade and Logan Maurer, who are a combined 85-2 on the season. Maurer has long been the No. 1-ranked Division 2 wrestler at 285 pounds this year. Brady Colden, the coach's son, also qualified.

“Those three have been wrestling together since kindergarten,” Tim Colden said. “And they're pretty tight on and off the mat.

“All three of them have an excellent chance at state, but yet all three of them are different types of wrestlers. Gavin is a defensive wrestler with great hips. Brady is a very good mat wrestler and rider, while Logan doesn't wrestle anything like a heavyweight. He's very quick, but once he gets ahold of you, that's it.”

The only returning state champion from the area is Nolan Shea. The Milton High junior takes a 36-5 record into his Division 1 113-pound preliminary-round match today, after winning a state title at 106 pounds a year ago. Shea enters state as the No. 1 ranked wrestler, and he could face second-ranked Nathan Smith of Mukwonago in a quarterfinal match Thursday night.

In Division 2, Evansville/Albany—which will compete in the state team wrestling meet on March 8—will send Jordan Meyer (132), Dustin Bjugstad (220) and Tyler Grant (170) into today's opening-round matches.

Edgerton's Sonny Schieldt qualified at 120 pounds in Division 2, while Delavan-Darien's Cody Chelminiak received a first-round bye in Division 2 after winning the 126-pound title at the sectional meet.